Postcolonial Criticism: Decolonizing Literature, Identity, and Power

Postcolonial Criticism: Decolonizing Literature, Identity, and Power

Postcolonial criticism covers a much broader area compared to other literary theories we've explored so far. Understanding this approach requires not only knowing the historical context but also grasping the cultural, economic, and political dynamics at play. This is because postcolonial theory doesn’t just analyse texts—it also examines how identities are formed in postcolonial societies, the power of language, and how cultural representations shape our understanding of the world.

For instance, while Marxist criticism focuses on power struggles between economic classes and feminist theory questions how gender is represented in literature, queer theory challenges traditional ideas of sexuality. Postcolonial criticism, however, intersects with all of these approaches. It considers economic exploitation, gender roles, identity, and language politics all at once.

One of the biggest contributions of postcolonial theory to literary criticism is its challenge to Western-centric narratives. Edward Said’s Orientalism (1978) laid the groundwork for this field by showing how the West has historically portrayed the East as exotic and inferior. Similarly, Homi Bhabha’s concept of hybridity and Gayatri Spivak’s famous question, “Can the subaltern speak?” help us explore how marginalized voices express themselves in a world shaped by colonialism.

Ultimately, postcolonial criticism is more than just a literary theory—it’s also a form of resistance and rewriting. By questioning the dominant Western perspective, it brings attention to the stories and histories that have been overlooked and encourages us to rethink how identities and cultural perceptions have been shaped over time.

Postcolonial criticism operates both as a subject of study and as a theoretical framework. As a subject, it focuses on the literature produced by colonized and formerly colonized cultures, examining how these societies responded to colonial rule. Some of this literature was written by the colonizers themselves, reflecting their perspective on the lands they occupied. However, the most significant contributions have come from the voices of the colonized, who use literature as a means of resistance, identity formation, and cultural reclamation.

Beyond literature, postcolonial criticism also functions as a broader theoretical approach, seeking to understand the political, social, cultural, and psychological effects of colonialism. Cultural colonization is one of its lasting legacies—long after gaining political independence, many former colonies remained shaped by European systems of government, education, and social values. This influence often led to a crisis of identity, as indigenous cultures were devalued or erased, leaving generations of formerly colonized peoples struggling with alienation from their own heritage.

One of the key concerns of postcolonial criticism is the construction of identity in literature. Colonialist discourse was built on the assumption that European culture was superior, portraying native peoples as primitive and backward. This shaped not only how Europeans viewed the world but also how colonized peoples came to see themselves. Through the works of authors like Chinua Achebe, Salman Rushdie, and Jamaica Kincaid, postcolonial literature challenges colonial narratives, reclaims lost histories, and redefines cultural identity in a postcolonial world.

Colonialist Ideology and Postcolonial Identity

Colonialist ideology positioned European culture as the ultimate standard, portraying native peoples as the "other"—inferior, uncivilized, and even less than fully human. This perspective, now referred to as Eurocentrism, defined Western nations as superior while depicting non-Western societies as primitive. Orientalism, a concept analysed by Edward Said, is a prime example of this Eurocentric mind-set. It involves the West projecting negative qualities onto the East to construct a superior self-image. The success of this ideology led to the emergence of colonial subjects, individuals who internalized the colonizers' values and sought to mimic their speech, dress, and customs, often feeling ashamed of their own heritage.

The psychological effects of colonial rule created a double consciousness, a term describing the divided identity of colonized individuals, caught between their indigenous culture and the dominant colonial influence. Homi Bhabha introduced the concept of unhomeliness, which describes the feeling of not belonging anywhere, even within one’s own homeland. Many postcolonial critics argue that identity is not static but hybrid, blending native and colonial influences into a dynamic, evolving cultural force. At the same time, some ex-colonials emphasize nativism or nationalism, striving to reclaim and reinforce indigenous traditions to resist Western cultural dominance.

Feminist and Postcolonial Criticism share many concerns, as both address systems of oppression—patriarchy and colonialism—that marginalize and devalue individuals. Postcolonial women face double colonization, being oppressed both by colonialist ideology (due to race and culture) and patriarchal structures (due to gender). Their struggle for autonomy, representation, and equality highlights the intersectionality of race, gender, and colonial history, making their voices central to both postcolonial and feminist discourses.

Colonialist Ideology and Postcolonial Identity

Colonialist ideology positioned European culture as the ultimate standard, portraying native peoples as the "other"—inferior, uncivilized, and even less than fully human. This perspective, now referred to as Eurocentrism, defined Western nations as superior while depicting non-Western societies as primitive. Orientalism, a concept analysed by Edward Said, is a prime example of this Eurocentric mind-set. It involves the West projecting negative qualities onto the East to construct a superior self-image. The success of this ideology led to the emergence of colonial subjects, individuals who internalized the colonizers' values and sought to mimic their speech, dress, and customs, often feeling ashamed of their own heritage.

The psychological effects of colonial rule created a double consciousness, a term describing the divided identity of colonized individuals, caught between their indigenous culture and the dominant colonial influence. Homi Bhabha introduced the concept of unhomeliness, which describes the feeling of not belonging anywhere, even within one’s own homeland. Many postcolonial critics argue that identity is not static but hybrid, blending native and colonial influences into a dynamic, evolving cultural force. At the same time, some ex-colonials emphasize nativism or nationalism, striving to reclaim and reinforce indigenous traditions to resist Western cultural dominance.

Feminist and Postcolonial Criticism share many concerns, as both address systems of oppression—patriarchy and colonialism—that marginalize and devalue individuals. Postcolonial women face double colonization, being oppressed both by colonialist ideology (due to race and culture) and patriarchal structures (due to gender). Their struggle for autonomy, representation, and equality highlights the intersectionality of race, gender, and colonial history, making their voices central to both postcolonial and feminist discourses.

Postcolonial Criticism and Literature – Key Terms

Colonialism – The political, economic, and cultural domination of one country over another, often involving settlement and exploitation.

Imperialism – A broader concept encompassing colonialism, referring to the expansion of an empire through military, economic, or cultural means.

Cultural Imperialism / Cultural Colonization – The dominance of one culture over another, often through economic influence, replacing local customs with those of the colonizers.

Othering – The process of dehumanizing the colonized, viewing them as inferior, uncivilized, or primitive.

Mimicry – The act of the colonized imitating the language, behavior, dress, and customs of the colonizers to gain acceptance.

Exile – The state of being displaced, either physically (living in a foreign land) or psychologically (feeling like an outsider in one’s own country).

Post-independence Disillusionment – The disappointment that follows independence, as newly freed nations struggle with governance and neocolonial influence.

Cultural Difference – The ways in which race, class, gender, religion, and other factors shape individual and collective identity.

Alienation – The feeling of being disconnected from one’s culture, homeland, or identity.

Unhomeliness – A sense of not belonging to any culture, feeling caught between two worlds.

Double Consciousness – The internal conflict of having two cultural identities, often forced to reconcile colonized and colonizer influences.

Hybridity – The blending of multiple cultural identities, often seen as a positive alternative to unhomeliness.

Double Colonization – The dual oppression of postcolonial women by both colonialism and patriarchy.

Canonical Counter-Discourse – The strategy of rewriting or reinterpreting colonial-era literature to expose its biases (e.g., Jean Rhys’ Wide Sargasso Sea as a response to Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre).

The Role of the Natural Environment – The significance of land, nature, and ecological destruction in postcolonial narratives.

Precolonial Continuity – The effort to reconnect with cultural traditions and histories that existed before colonization.

Self-Definition of Political Futures – The struggle for postcolonial nations to establish independent political identities.

Colonialist Literature – Literature that reinforces the ideologies of colonialism, depicting colonized people as inferior.

Anticolonialist Literature – Literature that challenges colonial narratives and gives voice to the colonized perspective.

Key Questions in Postcolonial Criticism

Colonial Oppression – How does the text represent political and cultural oppression, including control over language, communication, and knowledge?

Postcolonial Identity – How does the text explore issues of personal and cultural identity, including double consciousness and hybridity?

Anticolonialist Resistance – What does the text reveal about ideological, political, social, economic, or psychological resistance to colonial rule?

Othering and Cultural Perception – How does the text portray Othering, and how does it shape perceptions of different cultures and identities?

Cultural Difference – How does the text depict the influence of race, religion, class, gender, and cultural beliefs on individual and collective identity?

Response to Canonical Works – How does the text engage with and reinterpret colonialist literature, following Helen Tiffin’s concept of canonical counter-discourse?

Comparisons Across Postcolonial Literatures – What similarities exist among different postcolonial literatures, and how do they address shared experiences of colonialism?

Character and Land Relationships – How does the text depict relationships between dominant cultural figures, subalterns, and cultural outsiders, particularly in connection to the land they inhabit?

Colonialist Ideology in Western Canon – Does the text reinforce or challenge colonialist ideology through its portrayal of colonization or its silence on colonized peoples?